Wimbledon, the third tennis major of the calendar year, began on Monday, July 2 and has coincided with the knockout rounds of the World Cup – the biggest prize in international soccer.

England beat Tunisia, Panama, and Colombia to earn its spot in Saturday’s quarterfinal clash against Sweden – leaving English tennis player Kyle Edmund and his Swedish coach Fredrik Rosengren in an awkward position.

England won its Round of 16 match against Colombia after a nail-biting and nerve-wracking penalty shootout – an event French tennis player Gaël Monfils watched in a local pub. He said there was beer everywhere.

Getty ImagesGaël Monfils.

“I watched the shootout,” Monfils said. “I was in the restaurant and saw on the phone it was the shootout, and I saw a pub, so I just went in and watched it.

“Unbelievable. Crazy, crazy! I can’t describe it. I was scared to have my phone. It was jumping, screaming. Everything. Beers, everything. It was great.”

Monfils isn’t the only non-English tennis player to become spellbound by the Three Lions team as it pursues World Cup glory.

British tennis player Laura Robson may be injured and unable to participate at Wimbledon, but her enthusiasm for the World Cup – and the England national team in particular – has rubbed off on American athlete Madison Keys.

“She was singing the ‘it’s coming home’ song constantly for two-and-a-half hours,” Keys claimed. “I was actually into it at the end. Now I’m cheering for England.”